Little Switzerland North Carolina
“Scenic Wonderland of the Blue Ridge Mountains”
Town of Little Switzerland NC
Little Switzerland North Carolina is a small village high in the Blue Ridge Mountains at 3200 to 4000 feet in elevation. with picturesque views of Mt. Mitchell to the west, Table Rock, Hawsksbill and Grandfather Mountain to the east, and the valleys of the South Toe, Turkey Cove and the bustling Catawba Valley. Little Switzerland offers a stop along the Blue Ridge Parkway at milepost 334 for food at the Switzerland Café, shopping at the bookstore, lodging and food at the Switzerland Inn, and a motorcycle ride called the Diamondback.Little Switzerland was named because of its sweeping panoramas of deep valleys and distant ranges resembling those of the foothills of the Swiss Alps.
History of Little Switzerland NC
In 1909 Charlotte Attorney, Herriot Clarkson rode his mule to the top of Grassy Mountain, above Little Switzerland, with its panoramic view of the Blue Ridge, stopped in amazement and simply stated, “This is it.” Clarkson returned to Charlotte and invited a small group of business associates to join him in creating an exclusive mountain community known today as Little Switzerland. Clarkson was escorted by Marion real estate developers Reid Queen and Floyd Gardner. The town was formally organized in 1910. Reid Queen later built the Little Switzerland General Store and post office in 1927.
- Blue Ridge Parkway
- Gem Mining
- Diamond Back Motorcycle Ride
